The Washington critic., 1887-12-23
THE WASHINGTON 400"
The Animals Placed In Especial Building
fnt Unsnectinu.

for Inspection.
Any one walking along Seventh street,
through the Mall, early enough the
other morning. might have seen the
taxidermst of the National Museum
leading partly grown cinnamon bear
from the old armory toward the Smith
sonian. A few weeks ago the bear was
disporting himself in the wilderness of
the wild West. He was captured and
brought here for the naturalists attached
to the museum to study. Whenever, in
the course of their march, they came
near tree, the bear evincea burning
desire to climb it, and his captor made
Just MS strong an objection TO such II
proceeding. Their progress was slow, as
the bear had been tied up ever since his
capture and felt very giddy. .
Their destination was the long, Tow
wooden building just erected on the
south side of the Smithsonian 1nstitu-
ton, where the live animals received
by the National Museum, as described
in The CHITIC from time to time as they
arrived, are TO be quartered. The build
ing has accommodations for all the ami
mails SO far received and is well worth q
visit. 1t will be opened to the public
tomorrow.
The entrance is at the eastern end.
On the right are eight box-likc cages,
through the bars of which the animals
can be seen. In the centre Of the build
ing is large wire-inclosed cage, occu-
pied on one side by the eagles and the
other by the owls and two blue herons.
On the west side of this cage are the
bears quarters, surrounded by railing
The bear will be chained and have a
piece of tree to climb on. Three black
bears are now on the way here, two
from III Paso, Texas, and one from
North Carolina. They will also be given
quarters in this building. A notable
feature of this collection, and one not to
be found in any other, will be map
hung over the cage Of each animal,
showing the geographical distribution of
the species in this country.
The subject of keeping the public in
stitutions in this city open on Sunday
has often been agitated, and it seems
that this would be tirst-class oppor-
tunity to try the experiment The Of
ficials having the thing in charge are in
favor of Sunday opening.
Professor Goode, when asked by q
SHillC TcpOTieT Wudt iic tIlouSHt VI tue
scheme. said: at hardly makes any
difference what ! think Of it, as could
not order them kept open without Con-
gressional authority. 1t would require
this action to furnish the necessary
money to meet the additional expense.
would be glad TO see the experiment
tried, however, and think that 1t would
be good thing il our educational
institutions were kept open on Sunday.
1t might also be good thing if they
could be kept open two or three even
ings week.
"Our little collection over here should
hardly be dignified blythe name Of II Zoo
logical Garden, but there should be such
an institution in this city. When Cortcz
invaded the City of Mexico he found
there large geological collection. The
principal value of Zoo would be in
the preservation of such species of our
native animals as arc rapidly becoming
extinct. As many thousands of buffa-
loes as there were few years ago l do
not think that there are now more than
100 alive out of captivity. The New
York Central Park authorities some time
ago sent out commission accompanied
by several frst-class hunters to procure
some live specimens Of the buffalo, and
after long search returned without Sc.
curing one. This shows the rapid rate
at which they are becoming extinct
Yes, Washington should have large in
stitution for the preservation of our na.
tive animals. The Rocky Mountain
goat is another animal that will soon be
be extinct"